5/7/98
The South Boston Transitway (Silver Line) construction plan has been stalled as area landowner Frank McCourt and the BRA settle a dispute over the asking price for a required piece of the McCourt property. McCourt had an agreement with the BRA which would reduce the price of this parcel to $58 million if the BRA would move forward with the Silver Line and would make other parcels available in a land swap.
More recently, McCourt has asked the BRA to use its eminent domain powers to take the Barking Crab restaurant and another privately owned site to turn over to his company as part of the Silver Line parcel negotiation. BRA Director Tom O'Brien has indicated that this action would be improper and amounts to a "land grab."
According to the Boston Herald, O'Brien has offered McCourt land made up of the old Northern Avenue but McCourt has turned it down.
The MBTA, due to the breakdown in negotiations between McCourt and the BRA, have withdrawn their plans to build an octagonal head-house station for the Silver Line and a circle-shaped plaza near Fan Pier.
Source: The Boston Herald "Bickering over land stalls plans for South Boston transitway" by Jack Meyers 5/7/98
Update: To read an update on this issue, click here